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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Millions of school books destroyed in Tripoli fighting

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TRIPOLI: More than 3 million books were destroyed when rockets hit ministry of education buildings during fighting between rival government forces over the Libyan capital Tripoli, officials and the United Nations said on Monday.


Almost two weeks ago, eastern Libyan forces, allied to a parallel government, started an advance on Tripoli, held by the internationally recognised administration, deepening the chaos in the country since the overthrow of Gaddafi in 2011.


The front has hardly moved for days, as armed groups supporting the UN-backed government in the capital in western Libya have fought back.


But air strikes and shelling have hit civilian infrastructure and residential homes, especially in the south of capital where the eastern forces have been trying to push through government defences. The UN humanitarian agency OCHA said targeting civilian facilities was a violation of international humanitarian law.


The UN Libya mission UNSMIL also warned in a statement that “the bombing of schools, hospitals, ambulances and civilian areas is strictly prohibited”, adding that it was documenting such cases for the UN Security Council.


A school was hit on Saturday in an air strike blamed on the eastern forces of the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), Tripoli officials said.


— Reuters


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